Leather-buffing machine.



J. H. SCOTTJ LEATHER BUFFING MACHINE. APPLICATION ljlLED JAN-26. I905. RENEWED D EC. 29.1913- Patented July 13, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J.R.SCOTT.

LEATHER BUFFING MACHINE APPLICATION man JAN. 26. 1905. RENEWED 05c. 29. 1913. 1,146,529

Patented July 13, 1915.

e o w 0 o o 0 0 Ju o o Fll J. R. SCOTT.

LEATHER BUFFING MACHINE. APPLICATION r1120 IAN. 20. 1905. RENEWED DEC-29,1913.

4 SHEETQ-SHEET 3.

J. R SCOTT.

LEATHER BUFFING MACHINE. APPLICATION FlLl -ID JAN. 26. 1905. RENEWED DEC. 29. 913- 1 (Warren snares rarnnfr clarion JACOB R. SCOTT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LEATHERr-BUFFING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed anuary 26, 1 905, Serial No. 242,719. Renewed December 29, 1913.- Serial No. 809,398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB R. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Sufi'olk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-Bulfing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to leather" builing machines and particularly to machines for bufling articles of leather such as box toe pieces, counter stiffeners, etc. The "ma chine hereinafter specifically described as embodying the various features of the present 'invention'in theii preferred form is designed especially for operation upon box toe pieces and counter stiileners. The machine can, however, be used to operate satisfactorily upon other articles of leather, such, for instance,-'as belts, straps, Welt strips and similar articles. -\Vhile the invention is particularly applicable to machines adapted for operation upon leather articles, similar tq those above referred to, certain features of the invention are also applicable to other forms of leatherbuiling machines, such, for instance, as machines for buffing the soles of boots and shoes. a

The principal object of the present invention ism-to provide a machine for bufiing leather articles of the character above referred to, having provision for bringing the surface of the article to be buffed into proper position to.be acted upon by the bufling t'ooland for supporting it in such position that the surface may be properly finished by the tool without liability of'the tool removing too much of the material at any point so as to" mar or injure the article beingoper'ated upon;

Another object'of the invention is to provide a machine for buffing articles of leather,

'ciunprising' means whereby the action of the buffing tool may be prolonged on certain portions of theart icle so that the desired amount of material may be'removedfrom these portions without a corresponding amount being removed from the other portions.

Other objects of the invention are to 1mprove theconstruction of leather buffing machines and render them more efficient in operation.

With the above objectsin View the present invention contemplates the provision in a leather buffing machine of a yielding Work support by which the Work is supported in contact with the bufiing tool, and a presser arranged to'press the Work against the Work support. By the provision of this yielding Work support and presser the surface of the article Which is to be buffed is brought into the proper position to be acted upon by the bufiing tool and is held in this position during the action of the tool thereon so that the desired amount of material is removed from all portions of the surface regardless of yariations in the thickness of the article or arregularities in the surface which is being "acted upon by the tool.

edges than from'the center of the blank in order to reduce the edges 'to the desired thickness. This result is secured by the use of a Work support yielding material as the material which 1s displaced toward the edges of the blanks tends to raise the edges and force them against-the bufiing tool. The

In the illustrative Patented July is, was.

butting tool is preferably arranged to act I upon the Work in close proximity to the presser so that any'liability of displacement of the surface of the Work after passing the presser and before reaching the butting tool is avoided.

In buh'ingcertain articles of leather it is desirable that the action of the buffing tool be prolonged on certain portions of the article. Thus in butting box toe pieces it is desirable to prolong the action of the bufling tool upon the upper portion of the blank in order to reduce this portion of the blank to a feather edge. In accordance with a feature of the present invention this result is accomplished by the provision of means for imparting a varying feeding movement to the work while in contact with the tool. The feeding movement may vary in any desiredmanner, the action of the tool being prolonged either by intermitting the feeding movement or merely varying the speed of the movement. In connection with the means above referred to for prolonging the action of the tool on certain portions of the work the present invention also contemplates the provision of means by which the work can be fed continuously at a uniform rate of speed when all portions of the surface of'the work are to be acted upon uniformly.

In addition to the features of invention above referred to, the present invention also consists in certain devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of av machine embodying the same'in their preferred form. Fig. is a view in front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a 'view of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4- is a central sectional view taken on a vertical plane at right angles to the axes of the bailing roll and the work supporting and feeding roll. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane pasing through and parallel with the axis of the work supporting and feeding roll. Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of a portion of the mechanism for imparting a varying feeding movement to the work, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. (3.

Referring .to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, 1 indicates the work supporting andfeeding roll. which as illustrated comprises a body portion of yielding material in the form of a rubber sleeve 2, supported upon a metallic core 3. The core 3 is secured to a shaft 4 journaled in bearings in the side plates 5 of the machine frame, which rest upon a base plate is which in turn rests upon the uper end of the side standards 7, forming the base of the machine frame. The side plates 5 and the base plate (3 are secured together and to the side standards T by bolts passing through the plates (3 and through flanges on the plates 5 and standards 7 The presser for forcing the articles to be operated upon against the work supporting and feeding roll is indicated at 8 and as illustrated consists of a metallic plate rigidly secured to a plate 9 and extending into close proximity to the surface of the work supporting and feeding roll, the plane of the flat presser plate 8 intersecting the feed roll or work supporting roll as shown in Fig. 4. The end of the presser plate, as shown in this figure, is of reduced thickness and extends close to the bite of the rolls. The buffing tool is indicated at 10 in the form ofa bufling roll which may be of any usual or suitable construction. The roll illustrated consists of a rigid core 11 of wood or other suitable material, a yielding covering pad 12, of felt, and an abrasive covering 13 of sand-paper. The end of the presser plate 8 which contacts with the work is reduced in thickness as is clearly shown in Fig. i, and the buffingroll is arranged to act upon the work in close. proximity to the end of the presser plate. xThe plate 9 to which the presser plate 8 is secured, is mounted upon the upper edges of the side plates 5 and extends over the work supporting and feeding roll and the bufiing roll so as to form a casing to protect the hand of the operator from injury by the rolls. An opening is provided in this plate through which the articles to be operated upon are inserted.

Means hereinafter-described are provided for rotating the work supporting and feeding roll to feed the article and for rotating the bailing-roll in the same direction,-but at a much higher rate of speed. .When the article is insertedthrough the opening in the plate 9 its leading endpasses between the presser plate 8 and the work supporting and feeding roll so that the article is clamped between the,roll and the plate and is fed forward to the action 'of the buffing roll. Since the plate 8 extends into close proxim-. ity to the surface of the work supporting and feeding roll the article is forced into the roll and its upper surface brought into a position to be acted upon by the buffing roll. The position of the upper surface of the article is determined by the edge of the presser plate which in effect constitutes a forming plate for bending the article, if necessary, so as to bring the surface thereof into contact with the bufling roll.

The machine is designed particularly for operation upon box toe pieces and as a box toe piece passes beneath the presser plate it is forced into the work supporting and feeding roll and bent so that its entire upper surface is brought into a position-t0 be acted upon by the buffing roll. As the box toe piece is forced into the roll the yielding material of the roll-is displaced and as a con sequence the edges of the box toe piece are forced upwardly slightly above the central portion and are held firmly against the periphery of the buffing roll. The proper 'finishing of the surface of the box toev piece near its edgesis thus insured.

operated upon and allows the article to be bent into the required shape regardless of its size or thickness. Blanks varying considerably in size and thickness can therefore be operated upon in a satisfactory manner by the machine without changing the Work supporting and feeding roll or adjusting the presser plate. To compensatefor the wearing away of the surface of the work supporting and feeding 1011, however, and to secpre the proper amountof pressure upon articles of different thickness, means are provided for adjusting the presser plate 8 toward and from the periphery of the roll. To this end the plate 9 is adjustably secured to the side plates 5 by clamping screws 14 passing through elongated slots in the plate 9 and adjusting stop screws 15 are provided bearing against the upper and lower edges of the plate.

The butting roll is secured to a shaft 16 journaled at its ends in blocks 17 mounted in the side plates 5. To enable the buffing roll to be adjusted toward and from the work supporting and feeding roll the blocks 17 are mounted in guideways in the side plates 5'and are adjustable toward andfrom the bearings for the shaft 4 to which the work supporting and feeding roll is secured, by means of adjusting screws 18. .These adjusting screws have a screw threaded engagement with cap plates 19 secured to the side plates 5 and have a swiveled engagement with the blocks 17 at their inner ends. The screws 18 are locked in adjusted position by locking nuts 20.

The brush for cleaning the abrasive surface of the butting roll is indicated at 21 as a rotary brush secured to a shaft 22 which is rotated by mechanism hereinafter described to cause the brush to rotate in the opposite direction to the butting roll. In

order that the brush may remain in engagement with the bufiing roll when the batting roll is adjusted, the shaft 22 is journaled in arms projecting downwardly from the blocks 1'? The brush 21 is arranged beneath tl'nbuiiing roll and at the rear of the work supporting and feeding roll so that as the article passes from between the butting roll and the work supporting and feeding roll its buffed surface is brought into contact with the brush. The brush thus acts to clean both the abrasivesurface of the buffing roll and the buffed surface of the article.

Leather butting machines are usually provided with a suction apparatus for conveying'away the fine dust produced by the action of the bulling roll. In the machine illustrated in the drawings a suction apparatus is provided conuorising an exhaust fan 23 mounted in a suitable casing 24. This casing is located at the rear of the buffing roll and brush and the side adjacent to the bufling roll and brush is provided with openings through which the dust passes.

T0 the upper portion of the fan casing a plate 25 is hinged which extends over the butting roll and closes the space between the side plates 5. A perforated plate 26 extending between the side plates 5 below the brush and supported from the fan casing acts to prevent the passage of the buffed articles into the fan casing. The fan 23. is secured upon a shaft 27 which is journaled in bearings in the fan casing and driven at a high rate of speed by means of a belt from a power driven shaft 28 journaled in the lower portion of the side standards 7.

The mechanism for rotating the butling roll and the brush at a high rate of speed in,

opposite directions consists of a pulley 29 secured to the butting roll shaft, a pulley 30 on the power driven shaft 2-8, a belt passing over these pulleys, a pulley 31 upon the brush shaft, a corresponding pulley upon the fan shaft :27 and a belt passing over these pulleys;

For actuating the work supporting and feeding roll two mechanisms are provided, one acting to impart a continuous uniform feeding movement to the roll, and the other acting to impart a variable feeding movement to the roll. The continuous uniform feeding movement is imparted to the roll by means of a sprocket chain passing over sprocket wheels and 3t. mounted respectively upon the shaft '.lof the work supporting and feeding roll and upon a shaft -mounted to turn loosely upon the shaft at of the work supporting and feeding roll and can be clutched thereto by means of a friction nut 3%) whenever it is desired to impart a continuous rotary movement to the roll.

The varying feeding movement is imparted to the work supporting and feeding roll by m ans of a pawl and ratchet mechanism.

actuated from a cam groove -40 cut in the face of the gear 37. This cam groove is engaged by a roll on a pivoted lever ll the free end of which is connected by a link 12 to a pawl carrying arm 4?) pivotally mounted upon a stud 4i projecting from one of the side plates Also mounted upon this stud is a gear -15 which meshes with a gear 4-6 upon the shaft t of the work sup iorting and feeding roll. The pawl carried by the arm 43 is arranged to engage a ratchet wheel 47 secured to the gear l5 so that when the pawl is allowed to engage the teeth of the ratchet the gear 45 is intermittcntly actuated and an intermittent rotary movement is imparted to the work supporting and feeding roll. The pawl for engaging the ratchet wheel l? is indicated at 4C8 (see particularly Figs. 6 and 7), and consists of a spring pressed plunger provided at its inner end with a tooth 'or projection adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The plunger is mounted in the arm so as to be capable of being; rotated and is provided with a lat erally projecting pin 49 arranged to engage either of two notches at the outer end of the arm 4-3. One of these notches is deeper than the other so that when the pin is in the deeper notch the tooth at the inner end of the plunger is pressed against the ratchet wheel but when the pin is in the other groove the tooth at the inner end of the plunger is held out of engagement with the ratchet wheel-and the arm d3 oscillates without actuating the wheel. The plunger is provided at its outer end with a knob by means ofwhich the plunger can be withdrawn and turned through a quarter of a revolution whenever it is desired to throw the mechanism for imparting a variable feeding movement to the work out of operation.

The object of the mechanism for imparting a variable feeding movement to the work supporting and feeding roll is to arise the action of the bufling roll to be prolonged on certain portions of the article. In the machine illustrated in the drawings the cam groove lllisso shaped that the work supporting and feeding roll is first rotated a sullieient distance to bring the leading edge of the article into contact with the bailing roll. The roll then either remains stationary or moves very slowly for a short period and then the roll'is moved to complete the feeding of the article to the buffing roll and deliver it from between the rolls. In this manner a varying feeding movement is imparted to the article while in contact with. the buffing roll and the action of the roll on the leading edge of the article is prolonged. This manner of feeding the article is particularly advantageous when box toe pieces are operated upon as it is desirable that the upper portion of these articles be re duced to a thin edge. When it is not desired to prolong the. aeftion of the buffing roll upon any portion of the article the pawl 4-8 can be withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet 47 and the sprocket wheel 33 clutched to the shaft 4 of the work supporting and'feeding roll.

a foot treadle 52 which is connected by a rod- 53 to a sliding wedge 54 which is interposed between one of the bearings for the shaft 36 and a block secured to the shaft. A spring pressed latch lever 55 serves to retain the treadle 52 in its depressed position and a spring 56 connected at one end to the treadle and at the, other end to one of the side standards 7, serves to raise the treadle when released by the latch lever. A similar arrangement is provided for clutching the belt pulleys to the shaft 28, comprising a foot treadle 57, a wedge 58 and latch lever 59, the construction and operation of which parts will be obvious from an inspection of the drawings.

The operation of the machine has been fully indicated in the description given above of the construction and arrangement of its 'arious parts, and will be readily understood without a separate description 1. A leather buffing machine, having, in

combination, a buffing tool and *means for holding the work n contact with the tool and for imparting a varying feeding movement to the work while in contact with the tool to prolong the action of the tool on certain portions of the work.

2. A leather buffing machine, having, in combination, a buffing tool and means for holding the work in contact with the tool and for imparting automatically either a varying or a uniform continuous feeding movement to the work while in contact with the tool. i

3. A. leather bufllng machine, having, in combination, a work supporting and feeding roll, a presser to force the work against said roll, a bufling tool arranged to act upon the work in close proximity to the presser and mechanism for imparting a varying feeding movement to said rol to prolong the action of the tool on certain portions of the work.

4. A leather buffing machine, having, in combination, a work supporting and feeding roll, a presser to force the work agaii st said roll, a buffing tool arranged to act upon the work in close proximity to the presser, mechanism for in'iparting a varying feeding movement to said roll to prolong the action of the tool on certain portions of the work, mechanism for imparting a continuous uniform feeding movement to said roll and means for rendering either of said mechanisms operative.

A leather bulling machine, having, in

V masses combination, a buffing tool, means for holding the work in contact with the tool comprising a roll and mechanism for imparting automatically to the roll either a varying ora uniform continuous feeding movement.

6. A leather bufling machine, having, in combination, a buffing tool, means for holding the work in contact With the tool and mechanism acting automatically to impart a varying feeding movement to the Work while in contact with the tool to prolong the action of the tool on certain portions of the Work.

7. A. leather buffing machine having, in combination, a bnfiing roll, a work supporting roll provided With a yielding surface, a flat presser plate having an end of reduced thickness extending close to the bite of said rolls, the plane of the plate intersecting the yielding roll, and means for rotating the buffing roll at greater the supporting roll;

8. A leather buffing machine having, in combination, a bufiing roll, a Work supporting roll provided with a yielding surface, a flat presser plate having an end of reduced thickness extending close to the bite of said rolls, the plane of the plate intersecting the yielding roll, means whereby said plate mal y be adjusted, and means for rotating the bu ing roll at greater peripheral speed than the supporting roll.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

peripheral speed than in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB R. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. RUSSELL, EDITH C. HoLBRooK. 

